The Mercy Within
by Aethelgythe
Summary: General Grievous while on a mission discovers that the jedi kidnapped his youngest son intending to train him to be a jedi. Little does he know just how powerful his child is and that Count Dooku has his own sinister purpose for the young Kaleesh, that may very well change the outcome of the Clone Wars. Alternate universe story. Please read and review!
1. Mission to Yavin

Author's note: This is my very first attempt at writing a star wars fanfic. Like Darth Vader, I believe in the notion that General Grievous has an ounce of good within him when it comes to family. I understand that I am not as well versed in the star wars universe as I once was years ago, making writing this a greater challenge. Please be kind with your constructive criticism. Flames are not appreciated.

Chapter 1

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Duranium metal claws clacked slowly against the armrest of the command chair. The supreme Commander of the droid armies sat in deep contemplation as he stared at the twinkling stars outside the massive viewport of his flagship, the Malevolence. It had been some time since he had taken on an assignment worthy of his skill set. Currently, the clone wars were in their infant stages had yet to truly begin.

How he longed for the thrill of battle! To crush his opponents beneath his feet and revel in the victories that were sure to be his. Right now, what did he have? _Boredom_. Not even the droids he commanded on his ship were enough to distract the cyborg Kaleesh from his silent ponderings. At this point he would welcome any distraction. It had been a few galactic weeks of traveling between separatist systems, awaiting word from his overlords to direct him on a course of action vital to the separatist cause. All of this waiting was starting to make him antsy. It was taking too long and he was itching for a fight! He got up from his chair and paced from one end of the command deck to the other, ignoring the monotonous tasks the droids were performing.

A B-1 battle droid approached him effectively halting his pacing.

"Sir, Count Dooku has ordered that you make contact with him immediately!"

_At last!_

General Grievous approached a holocom unit and activated it. Count Dooku appeared, his arms crossed seriously.

"Greetings, General. I have a mission for you. You will go to the Yavin system and assassinate a band of seven renegade jedi. Consider this a test. Once you have completed your mission, report back to me immediately."

General Grievous bowed graciously before his master.

"Consider it done!"

The holo-image of Count Dooku blinked out of existence.

Grievous clenched his mechanical hands into fists. Finally, a challenge worthy of his talent! _Seven_ jedi! There would be plenty of new trophies to add to his ever growing collection. He whirled around and started barking orders.

"Fire up the engines, set coordinates for the Yavin system, and jump to lightspeed immediately!"

He turned to regard his droid captain.

"You're in charge while I am away. I have to prepare for the mission."

With that, the General left the bridge and went to his quarters where he kept his few meager possessions. He donned his cape and grabbed four lightsabers from his trophy case and stuffed them in his cloak. He then proceeded to go to the hangar bay where a squad of droids marched in perfect unison directly ahead of him and stopped to stand at attention awaiting further instruction.

"I want scouts to find where those seven rogue jedi are hiding!"

One of the B-1 battle droids stepped out of formation raising his hand.

"Uh…but sir, I'm not a scout…"

Grievous growled and stalked closer and towered over the quaking droid. This one must have had a serious defect in its processor. All droids on his ship were aware of the infamous General's angry outbursts and tendency to destroy any droid unlucky or stupid enough to cross him. Today however, he felt he was in a good mood and had patience enough to deal with this one.

"If you are not up to the task…I will scrap you here and now!"

"Uhh…no General. Scouting! How hard can that be?"

The fortunate droid stepped back in line.

"Any further _questions?"_

The droid squadron remained silent.

"Good. Once we reach the Yavin system, you will disperse and search the moons in the system capable of supporting life. I want those jedi found!"

"Roger, roger!"

In approximately two hours, the ship dropped out of hyperspace. Beside his flagship, two other support cruisers escorted them. General Grievous sent squadrons of droids to scout ahead, in the hopes of locating his targets. Sooner than expected, one squad reported in declaring they had located two of the seven jedi hiding out on Yavin 13. The cyborg clasped his hands behind his back and patiently awaited word from the others. A few more hours went by and another squad reported that two more jedi were discovered on Yavin 8.

Now where could those last three be hiding? General Grievous knew the question was rhetorical and laughed, coughing soon after.

One of the droid scouts appeared on a hand held holo-emitter.

"_Sir, we have landed on Yavin 4…we see what appears to be a temple structure of some sort but we have been unable to determine if there are any—"_

The droid was lifted up into the air by an unseen force and slammed violently into a nearby tree, destroying it. The holo-image disappeared before Grievous could identify the target. Bah, there was no need! It was a force user who destroyed his droid which meant, the last three jedi must be hiding there! Only three of the twenty six moons were habitable. So now he knew exactly where they were. What had Grievous in an even happier mood was that the seven jedi were foolish enough to split up into teams. It would have been near impossible to take on all seven at the same time. He decided to visit Yavin 13 first. It would be easy to locate the two jedi's encampment since the moon itself was composed mostly of rocky plains and deserts. Oh, they could certainly run from him but they sure couldn't hide!

Grievous had four magna guards, sixteen B2 battle droids, and twenty B1 battle droids accompany him in his assault craft to the surface of Yavin 13. They landed about a mile from the enemy's campsite. These jedi were foolish. The smoke from their campfire gave away their position.

"I want you droids to wait here. I will take care of this myself!"

The droids did as instructed and waited with the ship.

General Grievous set out to accomplish his task, eagerly fingering two of the lightsabers concealed within his cloak. It did not take him long to reach the campsite and fortune was on his side. The two jedi were sitting by the campfire, unknowingly eating their last meal. The elder of the two noticed Grievous's approach and stood to greet him.

"Welcome, stranger. What brings you out this way?"

Grievous clasped his hands behind his back in a non-threatening manner.

"Why to meet the two of you, of course."

The man looked rather confused.

"You know us?"

"Not personally. Only by association."

"Who are you?"

Grievious's name, his reputation, and his identity were still a secret. No one knew who he was. They soon would… for the first five minutes at least.

"I…am your _**doom**_ jedi!"

Grievous pulled out his lightsabers and twirled them in eager anticipation. The young lad who accompanied the elder jedi, most likely the apprentice, ignited his lightsaber. The jedi master activated his violet blade and moved into a defensive stance.

"We have no quarrel with you."

"That makes one of us!" Grievous laughed maniacally.

"Then you leave us no choice!"

Grievous growled deeply and swung his lightsaber at the jedi master's head. The man easily blocked his attack and launched a flurry of his own. The cyborg locked blades with the master and saw the apprentice circling around in the hopes of attacking him from behind. Grievous kicked out a sharply taloned foot and knocked the lightsaber out of the boy's hand, also managing to wound him. He used all of his strength to shove the master back and ran at the boy who was scrambling madly for his lightsaber a few feet away.

"Say good-bye to your master, boy! He will soon meet your fate!"

Before he could destroy the jedi lad, his master came to his rescue. He dove beneath Grievous and met his downward slash with a high block. He attempted to leg sweep the cyborg but the sly general saw it coming and lifted his leg and brought it down hard in the hopes of crushing the man's ribs. The jedi rolled clear of his large duranium foot and slashed his saber at his leg. Grievous easily blocked with one saber and slashed at the man's neck line with the other. The master blocked and parried. He looked to be struggling under the vicious onslaught of the cyborg's assault. He was weakening…good.

"Run, Tesra! You must contact the others!"

The apprentice shook his head with tears forming in his eyes.

"I won't leave you!"

He re-ignited his green lightsaber with his left hand, cradling his injured arm against his chest.

"I can help you, master!"

The master struggled with all his might to keep Grievous at bay. He locked sabers with the general again, both opponents pushing with all their strength. His arms shook from exertion and sweat dripped down his face.

"I SAID RUN!"

Tesra nodded once and then fled from the deadly scene. Grievous laughed and shouted after the apprentice.

"I'm coming for you next, boy!"

The master was weakened and it was taking every ounce of effort to raise his lightsaber to block yet another crazed swing from his insane combatant. He force pushed Grievous from him, enough time to take a quick rest before resuming combat.

General Grievous used a comlink on his wrist to convey an order to his troops.

"Locate the jedi ship and destroy it!"

With their only ship destroyed, the accursed jedi would have no means of escape and would be unable to warn the rest of their ilk hiding on the other moons nearby. It was time to end this! Grievous used a stunning technique learned from Dooku, twirling his lightsaber around and effectively disarmed his opponent. The jedi master was panting now, hunched over with both hands on his knees. It appeared that this elder had seen better days. He eyed his lightsaber where it had landed a yard away and made a run for it. The general laughed and ran in hot pursuit. He leaped high in the air and kicked the man in the head, knocking him a few feet away where he lay stunned. Blood dripped down his face and he stared in grim defeat when he saw the cyborg confiscate his only weapon. Grievous approached the elder man and pointed his purple lightsaber at him.

"You are beaten! Any last words?"

"Why?"

Grievous cocked his head sideways to consider the one word question.

"Simple. I hate jedi!"

The master caught sight of two additional lightsabers within the general's cloak. He outstretched both hands and used the force to call the weapons to him. The general in one quick move severed the man's hands from his body, eliciting an agonizing scream.

"Those belong to **me** jedi filth!"

Grievous retrieved the weapons from the ground and attached them to his hip armor.

"Your blade is a fine addition to my collection! I did not have a purple lightsaber before today. Now…you die!"

He impaled the jedi master with his own purple blade. He stood by and watched the life ebb from the man's eyes. When he was sure he was dead, he moved on. The apprentice was next! Finding him was not difficult. Grievous knew he had at least broken the young one's arm but he had been bleeding from a gash sustained from one of his sharp talons as well. The boy was despairing next to the wreckage of his former star cruiser. He turned around when he heard the sound of a lightsaber twirling, hoping it was his master. It wasn't.

"Hand me your lightsaber and I will make your death swift!"

The boy stubbornly shook his head.

"You aren't taking me without a fight, sleemo!"

"Very well…have it your way," the general chuckled and slowly advanced in a predatory fashion.

He twirled his lightsabers incredibly fast at a dizzying speed and then ran at him with a roar.

The boy fumbled with his lightsaber for a moment and activated it just in time to block the first blow. His good arm shook from the strain, his injured arm hanging limply at his side. He used the force to shove Grievous back, suddenly realizing he was far outmatched. He turned and made a desperate run for it. The cyborg cackled madly in delight to see him flee. He took one lightsaber, the purple one, and threw it sideways. It spun around and around and in the blink of an eye, decapitated the apprentice. The separatist general retrieved the boy's green lightsaber and walked calmly away from the grizzly scene. He returned to the assault craft and ordered his troops to take him to Yavin 8.

He had two more lightsabers to collect.

The next two jedi weren't even a challenge for him! They were weak. He slew them relatively quickly and set off to destroy the remaining three on Yavin 4. The assault craft destroyed some of the local flora as it landed but Grievous cared not. The temple structure was about two miles from their landing site. Grievous ordered all of his mechanized troops to march on the structure and destroy all and any jedi they might find there. They obeyed his orders without question and marched in synchronized platoons towards the ancient stone structure. When they arrived it was unnervingly quiet. Something wasn't right…where were the jedi?

With a flourish, two jedi with blue lightsabers soundlessly leaped down and began dispatching the B1 battle droids effortlessly. Grievous brought up the rear and watched the growing battle with interest. The jedi blocked the laser blasts in complete harmony and used the force to hurl large chunks of rubble at the super battle droids. Before long, the entire platoon of B1 battle droids was decimated and the jedi were already making quick work of the B2's. Perhaps finally, Grievous would at last be permitted to fight worthy opponents. It did not escape his notice that the third jedi was unaccounted for. Perhaps that jedi was cowering in fear within the structure. Regardless…the General was going to slay them without mercy. All of the droids were now destroyed apart from his four magna guards.

One of the two jedi already looked to be tiring. Grievous's two mechanical arms split into two more and Grievous attacked the stronger of the two with four arms equipped with lightsabers, twirling and slicing, bearing down on his enemy. His four magna guards joined the fray, attacking the weaker jedi. The middle aged man shouted at his partner who was having a very difficult time defending herself from the deadly magna guards.

"Lori! We need to get the others out of here! Evacuate immediately!"

So they wanted to retreat did they? Grievous cackled madly as he shoved the man back, nearly cornering him. The weight of his words finally sank in. Wait…_others?_ There were more than just three jedi on this moon?! Good…he needed the challenge and his lightsaber trophies were accumulating. He roared furiously when the man used the force to somersault over his head and neatly sliced off one of his extra appendages, forcing Grievous to drop one of his prized trophies.

"You'll pay for that, **jedi scum**!"

His rage fueled his vicious attacks and the man had to scramble to defend himself from the whirlwind of death that bore down on him. Grievous was lost in a fit of absolute bloodlust and completely ignored the second jedi. She was of no importance if the sounds of her screams were anything to go by. The Magna guards succeeded in slaying her for him. The droids immediately turned to aid Grievous in his duel. One of them assisted their lord, adding additional blows for the struggling man to block. The two combatants were too focused in their fight to trade any taunts or insults. Grievous usually liked to provoke his opponents into doing something that would surely cost them and ultimately rob them of even the slimmest hope of victory. There was no need to do so now. This man was on the brink of death. Grievous parried and once again, disarmed his opponent. He knocked the man down and stomped a large taloned foot on his chest, breaking his ribs. The human wheezed as he struggled for life sustaining breath. The cyborg laughed wickedly.

"You are defeated and the others you spoke of will soon join you in eternal sleep!"

The man closed his eyes and Grievous thought for a brief moment that he had succumbed to death. It was only when a nearby tree cracked and began to fall right on top of him that the cyborg Kaleesh realized the jedi's treachery. He cursed and leaped aside. The tree hovered a moment before dropping harmlessly next to the dying jedi.

The audacity! No matter, Grievous was finished toying with this one. He broke the man's neck, ending the jedi's life thus putting him out of his misery. Now…to find the _others_.

He walked into the temple structure, merging his two extra appendages with his two arms. He held two lightsaber hilts within his hands but did not activate them. He wanted to be a bit stealthier and hoped to have a slight element of surprise when he found the vermin. His Magna guards marched quietly behind him. He turned a corner and found a room that appeared to be abandoned. There was a drab looking blanket covering a small lump of…something. Before he could investigate further, a shriek as well as the sound of a lightsaber activating alerted him to the danger long before it presented itself. Grievous thumbed the triggers of his sabers and held them up defensively. A lithe form leaped down from a ledge above him and landed a few feet in front of him. His golden eyes widened in complete surprise.

"What is the meaning of _**this**_?!"

Before him, stood a female _Kaleesh jedi_.

"You are a traitor to your kind, woman!" Grievous spat venomously.

"The jedi were not responsible for our people's suffering!"

"LIES! They aided our enemy! The enemy that enslaved our race and brought starvation and death to our people!"

"You have a hateful and bitter heart, Sheelal."

He took a step back, his golden eyes revealing his shock.

"Yes…I know who you truly are. You do not know me, for we have never met before now. I have met one of your wives on Kalee."

"That matters not. You will die for your betrayal!"

The two engaged in a duel to the death. She was a skilled warrior and was the worthiest opponent Grievous had the privilege of fighting in such a long time.

"Because you are Kaleesh…I will grant you an honorable death worthy of a true warrior," Grievous promised as he continued to dodge and weave in a deadly dance with her.

"I will not be the one to die today," she countered as she ducked to avoid a close swing.

"You are a true Kaleesh to defy death so stubbornly," Grievous laughed.

The two continued to fight, the female showing no signs of tiring. It was almost going to be a shame to kill her. Almost.

A whimper and movement from the blanket caught Grievous's attention.

"What is that?!"

She rolled clear of one of his downward slashes and crouched in a defensive stance in front of the blanket, protecting it.

"Your fight is with me. Leave this other matter alone."

"What are you hiding from me, jedi?"

They resumed their duel, the female Kaleesh leading the General away from the thing on the floor. Lightsabers flashed and spun in a blur of light and a cacophony of sound. They locked sabers and she growled at him, using all of her strength to push him back. She saw movement out of the corner of her eye and turned to see her charge no longer prone on the floor but standing with the blanket draped over his head. He was garbed in youngling jedi attire, appearing to be at least four years of age. The distraction cost her greatly. Grievous shoved her back, twirled his saber and impaled her. Her eyes widened and she stared at the General wordlessly. She fell down, her body slowly going into shock. Grievous walked past her and stalked closer to the child she had been concealing.

"N-no…don't…please!" She pleaded with him but it fell on deaf audios.

Grievous pulled the blanket off of the child to get a better look at him and his golden eyes widened yet again in complete shock.

"This child is Kaleesh! You were training it to be a filthy jedi?! It's bad enough that you betrayed your people but to drag a youngling into this was the greatest treachery of all!"

Grievous took the lightsaber and prepared to slay the child.

"Sheelal! Don't! He's your son."

Her words stayed his hand. He whirled on her angrily.

"What do you mean? SPEAK!"

"The jedi…wanted to train him. He's…powerful."

"You KIDNAPPED my son from Kalee?!"

"Yes. Your son…is…your last…child…"

She struggled to breathe as the life ebbed from her body. She felt cold.

"He can't…fall into the wrong hands. Protect him Sheelal."

With those words she breathed her last and became one with the force. The young Kaleesh cried and ran to her body and rested his head on her chest in sorrow. It disgusted Grievous greatly.

"BAH! Don't cry for that wench! She got what she deserved."

The child looked up at him with mixed emotions. Grievous wasn't sure if this child really was his son. That jedi scum could have been lying just so he would spare the boy! He felt conflicted for the first time in a long time. He could just abandon the Kaleesh youngling and leave it to fend for itself on this moon. What if it was his son? Did he really have the heart to kill or abandon it? It wasn't the child's fault that the jedi whelps kidnapped him and took him far from home. The thought angered him greatly. How DARE they! He stood for the longest time internally debating with himself. He accomplished his mission. Seven jedi were dead. This child wasn't considered a jedi in Grievous's mind. It couldn't use the force and had no warrior's training.

He turned his back on the child and began to stalk out of the room. The four year old ran after him with a high pitched cry when he believed he was going to leave him there. The four Magna Guards turned their electrostaffs on the child who was overcome with emotion and couldn't control what happened next. With a great cry, an invisible shockwave rippled out and slammed the Magna guards away from his small body, destroying two that slammed forcefully into a stone wall. Grievous had turned around to command his droids to leave the child be and witnessed what took place.

So he could use the force….great. In a way, Grievous was jealous that this Kaleesh child had that power when he didn't.

With a growl, Grievous towered over the youngling finally making his decision.

"You are coming with me"

He picked up the little one, holding him protectively and returned to the assault craft. The boy did not fight him or protest and remained quiet. They returned to the Malevolence and he ordered his droids to set course for Kalee. They jumped to lightspeed minutes later. He strode into the medical bay and ordered a blood analysis on the child immediately. An hour later, the results were confirmed.

The child was his son.

Grievous looked down on the young Kaleesh and studied him more closely. The child's tusks were just beginning to grow. His ears were pointed back in a show of submission. He had scaly reddish brown skin as was customary for any Kaleesh and had ebony hair, some of it braided. His golden yellow eyes matched his father's perfectly. His four clawed hands were resting in his lap, the claws not as intimidating as a fully grown Kaleesh's however. This child was the spitting image of Sheelal. The resemblance was uncanny. The youngling stared into Grievous's own reptilian eyes, looking into his very soul. Neither spoke and simply regarded each other in silent wonder.

It was time to return home. The first thing Grievous was going to do, was get his son out of those ridiculous jedi clothes…

TO BE CONTINUED!

Author's Note: I have big plans for this story. That's all I can tell you at this point. Updates might be a little slow since I work both a full time and a part time job. In my free time, all I want to do is write however so never fear!


	2. Return to Kalee

Author's Note: Thank you for following the story, reviewing, and for adding to favorites. Also, most of my knowledge about Grievous and the Kaleesh I gleaned off of Wookiepeedia. As a disclaimer, I don't own star wars, only my own characters that I created.

Chapter 2

Grievous knew he had at least thirty children. He knew them all by name. So the fact that his youngest child lacked one annoyed him greatly.

"What is your name?"

The child did not answer. The little one appeared to be the silent type…or was he just shy? Grievous growled in frustration.

"What did those accursed jedi call you?"

The young Kaleesh opened his mouth as if about to speak but looked away in shame. After another moment of awkward silence, the soft sound of the child's voice pierced Grievous's audio receptors.

"The jedi called me _youngling_ and _boy_. I don't have a name."

Grievous was stunned. How could he not?

"Didn't your mother name you?"

The boy shook his head sadly.

"I can't remember"

Those innocent words fueled Grievous's hate for the jedi.

"When we get to Kalee, we will find your mother and see to it that you receive a worthy name."

His son nodded in silent understanding. He sat still for a moment and then began to fidget. He didn't look at Grievous and tapped a small clawed digit against the medical berth, apparently lost in thought. Grievous was curious as to what he was thinking about.

"What's on your mind?"

"Nothing…" he still refused to look at the cyborg.

The General laughed, knowing full well that he was lying.

"Oh, but I believe there is. So tell me."

His son looked up at him with innocent, golden eyes that looked near identical to his own.

"I don't want you to be mad at me."

"I doubt I will."

The child seemed to be debating internally with himself, weighing the pros and cons of speaking his mind. His greater curiosity won out, overriding his rationale.

"What…what happened to you?" the boy gestured to his cyborg body.

Grievous growled at the question and the child lowered his head.

"I was in an accident," he refused to elaborate further.

"Are you really my father?"

The Separatist General chuckled at the question.

"DNA tests don't lie. So yes, I am."

"The jedi told me my father died."

Grievous clenched his hands into fists and snarled. He punched a passing B-1 battle droid in the face, knocking its head clean off.

"The jedi LIED!"

The boy's stomach growled and he looked up at him with a funny expression on his face. He was hungry. He didn't voice his discomfort however.

"We will reach Kalee soon…a home you were deprived of. There we will find your mother and the rest of our family."

The Kaleesh youngling nodded and then yawned tiredly. He curled up on the medical berth and looked at his father sleepily. A droid walked in at that moment and gave Grievous a routine status report. When he turned back around the child was fast asleep. A feeling he had not experienced since before his transformation made itself known and the paternal instinct to protect his son flooded his innate senses. If anyone were to even _attempt_ to harm this child…they were dead! He stood for a few moments watching his son sleep in perfect peace. He would never openly admit it to anyone…but the child was cute.

Another droid came in and reported that they had reached Kalee. Grievous carefully picked up his son and carried him and boarded a shuttle that would take them to the surface. A bumbling droid dropped a supply crate, causing the child to stir. Grievous remained still. The boy continued to sleep, oblivious to everything around him. The cyborg Kaleesh growled a clear warning to the droid, who got the message and exited the craft immediately, lest he lose his function. The shuttle flew out of the hanger bay and in minutes, they were entering Kalee's atmosphere. The General commanded the droid pilot to land in a field right outside one of the villages. A tribesman greeted them. This one was a trusted friend who had known Sheelal during the Huk war. Only a handful of Kaleesh knew about General Grievous's true history. The tribesman bowed humbly.

"Sheelal…welcome home."

"Thank you Tekar. I'm here to see my family and to return my child to his mother."

"I'm afraid your family isn't here."

_What?! _ _All ten wives and thirty children missing?_

"How can this be?"

"Lord Dooku evacuated them. Where, we do not know."

Grievous was angry and pointed an accusing metal talon at Tekar and snarled.

"If it had been anyone but the Count to have done this, they would pay the price, as would you."

Tekar bowed again submissively, recognizing his old friend's temper and sought to appease him.

"Sheelal, I would never let anyone take your family from you if I had any doubts that they would be safe and in good hands."

"There was a Kaleesh traitor who kidnapped my son from his very home. Explain _that_!"

There were only a handful of his people he trusted completely and Tekar was one of the ones he had entrusted with his family's safety while he was away on his missions.

"There was a Kaleesh jedi wielding a green lightsaber. We tried to stop her but she killed four of our best warriors!"

"Fortunately that jedi traitor is dead."

"I'm afraid the jedi also killed your son's mother. Kitna died while trying to defend the child."

Grievous, felt a pang of remorse at hearing the tragic news. Kitna was his tenth wife and the last time he had seen her, she had not yet had a child. His son was her first…and her last. His sorrow soon turned into anger…anger at the one who was responsible for keeping her safe and _failed._

"Your _failure _will cost you dearly Tekar!"

The Kaleesh warrior took a step back with wide eyes. He could practically feel Grievous's rage rolling off of him in palpable waves.

"I did everything I could to save her!"

Grievous split his arms into four and activated two lightsabers and slowly advanced on Tekar blind with fury. He held his son securely in his two main arms and laughed darkly when Tekar got into a fighting stance with his ceremonial spear ready to defend himself. It would be so _easy_ to kill him!

The boy awoke and squirmed in fright when his sleep fogged brain believed he was in some sort of danger. He settled down once he realized he was safe. But that other guy wasn't…

"Father?"

"_**What**__?!"_ Grievous spat venomously and glared down at the child.

"What are you doing?" the boy asked innocently.

Grievous growled and halted his advance on the tribesman.

What _was_ he doing? That was a good question. Tekar was his friend and although he failed him, did he really deserve to die? Whenever Grievous was lost in bloodlust, it was hard for him to think clearly. If it wasn't for his son's innocent question…Tekar would probably be dead right now. Had Tekar **not** been Kaleesh, Grievous knew he would never have granted him any mercy.

"You have ONE last chance Tekar…don't waste it."

With that said, Grievous's two extra arms folded back in and his lightsabers clipped back to his hip plating. Tekar nodded his head in thanks.

"I will not fail you again. Thank you Sheelal."

"I want you to take this boy and see to it that he is clothed and fed. I will return for him shortly."

"Of course"

Grievous handed his youngest child to him, giving him a hard look through his mask that spoke volumes of his disappointment and displeasure. He then returned inside the shuttle to make contact with his master Count Dooku. His holo-image appeared and Grievous refused to bow to him, snarling angrily instead.

"What have you done with my family?!"

"I trust that your mission was a success?" The Count said by way of greeting.

"All seven jedi are **dead**! Now again I ask…_where is my family_?!" Grievous hissed icily.

"They are in a safe, secure location. When I discovered that the jedi attacked your family, I took action. You have no need to worry, my friend."

"They killed one of my wives and kidnapped my youngest son!"

"And you recovered him, did you not?" Count Dooku's eyes narrowed subtly.

"Yes. He is in my care."

"I want you to bring the boy to me."

"And why, may I ask?"

"The jedi would not take a child so young unless he was force sensitive. I wish to examine the boy myself."

"As you wish, my lord."

Grievous bowed and cut the transmission. It did not settle well with him that Dooku wanted his son. What were the Count's real motives? If the boy proved to be as powerful as that Kaleesh woman suggested on Yavin 4, then Grievous reasoned the old man would either want to take him on as an apprentice or kill him outright. He preferred neither. If he could have his way, he would train his son in the arts of warfare by Kaleesh tradition. Giving his son lightsaber training couldn't hurt either. Grievous was going to make sure that this son of his became a true warrior. The General decided to delay the inevitable trip to Count Dooku's lair and strode out of the shuttle.

He entered the village and nodded curtly at the few Kaleesh who greeted him in passing. He arrived before a stone dwelling and invited himself in. This was his old home. Tekar walked past him with a faint smile and out the door, having accomplished what Grievous asked of him. A fire was crackling in the hearth and a Czerka Arms outland rifle was mounted above it. A Shoni spear was propped up in a corner of the room, collecting dust. A few mumuu skulls lay on a table cluttered with old documents and a few modern day gadgets such as a datapad and holo-emitter. Karabbac pelts carpeted the floor and sitting next to the fire sat his son, eating what looked to be cooked fish, vegetables, and biscuits. He was now clothed in a white tunic, tan pants, and wore brown leather boots. A brown child sized cloak was clasped around his neck, blanketing his small frame. He noticed Grievous's arrival and smiled at him. After swallowing what was in his mouth he greeted him.

"Hi father!"

"Are you staying out of trouble?"

The boy nodded and eagerly stuffed more food in his mouth. Grievous watched him eat in mild fascination.

"When was the last time you ate, boy?"

The child seemed to think about it for a moment and held up four clawed digits to indicate the number of days.

"Four days! Did the jedi not feed you?"

He shook his head no.

"Why not?" Grievous rasped. He felt another cough coming on.

"Telarial said not eating would help me focus."

The cyborg Kaleesh laughed and broke down into a coughing fit. He snickered.

"Those jedi imbeciles lied to you! You focus better on a full stomach. Warriors need to keep up their strength!"

"She said it was discipline."

"Did you do something wrong? Was it a punishment?"

The little boy's shoulders sagged and he looked down at his plate sadly.

"They said I could eat if I listened to them and did what they said."

"And did you?"

"No!"

The boy was angry and slammed a little fist against the table top and glared at Grievous. This made the General laugh.

"You are such a defiant, little one! Good…hate the jedi. They took everything from you."

The child calmed visibly after a long heated moment and then sighed.

"I said I would listen if they let me see my mother again. They said no. So I didn't eat."

Grievous chuckled.

"You were a good boy, not to listen to them. They would have made you their slave!"

"I wanted to know more about my father. They told me to forget about my mother and to forget about you. The jedi said that they were my new family."

What little blood he had left was boiling at those words. He calmed considerably when he remembered that those jedi were now dead, slain by his own hand. If only he could have the pleasure of going back and doing it again! Grievous remembered something important. He recalled what the medical droid said upon revealing the test results. His son had a birthday today.

"You are six years old now and as a gift, I will grant you a worthy name."

He thought about it for a moment, pacing a few times across the room until he finally had just the one.

"From this day forth, you will be known as Zekaloph Quilemec Sheelal."

Zekaloph smiled.

"Thank you."

Grievous nodded and his golden eyes were smiling. For the first time in a long time…he was happy. He helped to name some of his other children but this was the first time he had done so without the agreement of his wives. Just being able to name his youngest child himself filled him with pride. He felt he was already forming an attachment to his son that he had never felt with any of his other children before. Zekaloph was truly unique.

The child finished his meal and wiped his face with his sleeve. Grievous cleared his throat to get his attention and gestured for Zekaloph to accompany him.

"There is something I want to show you."

The boy skipped to his side and reached a small hand to grasp one of Grievous's large clawed, metallic fingers. It was the closest thing to holding hands that the youngling could achieve. It took his father by surprise. His first impulse was to shake the boy off. These cybernetic hands of his were dangerous and had killed many diverse beings in the galaxy. Besides…he had a reputation to maintain. It was only after his son looked up at him with adorable, trust filled eyes that he relented. As long as he was mindful, it should be safe.

Grievous walked a little slower so the boy could keep up with him, the two walking in amiable silence for a while, until Zekaloph had a question.

"Where are we going, father?"

"To a special place"

Zekaloph sneezed when pollen from a nearby plant tickled his nose. They followed a winding path that led them into the jungle. After some time, they reached a temple. They climbed up two levels of stairs and entered the main room. It was lit with torches and incense filled the air with a pleasing aroma. In the center was a statue of a Kaleesh warrior. He had a rifle slung over his back and held two swords in his hands. A war mask covered his face and his cloak billowed in an unseen wind. Beneath the statue was a sarcophagus. Someone who was once great in life was now buried here.

Zekaloph released Grievous's clawed finger and went up to investigate the statue in wonder.

"Who is this father?"

"That is Qymaen Jai Sheelal."

It took a moment for the name to register but when it finally did he looked at Grievous in amazement.

"This is you?"

"That was me before the accident."

"How did you become so famous?"

Grievous gave his son a history lesson, explaining all about the Huk war and the injustices that were forced upon their people by their enemy and how the jedi nearly destroyed them. He shared as much knowledge with his son as the boy could handle in one day. Zekaloph was riveted by his tale and never took his eyes off of him for a second.

"Once you become a great warrior like me, the Kaleesh people will immortalize you forever."

"What does immortalize mean?"

"It means you live forever."

"But no one can live forever!"

"In other words, you will be remembered for a very long time."

"Oh…okay."

The boy reverently followed Grievous out of the temple and gasped when his father suddenly held him back with one hand. They were halfway down the stairs. All of the usual forest sounds had ceased. It was quiet…too quiet. Grievous narrowed his eyes and searched for the hidden predator that must be lurking in the nearby foliage. A twig snapped to his left and he growled threateningly.

"Slowly Zekaloph…walk back up those stairs and get inside. Take this…just in case."

Grievous handed him a bone carved knife that he had retrieved from home earlier, crafted from mumuu bones. He didn't yet trust his son with a lightsaber. Not until he was trained.

Zekaloph listened to his father and slowly retreated back into the temple, watching him from a safe distance. Grievous ignited two lightsabers just as a pack of mumuu tore through the foliage and leapt right at him, snarling viciously. They must be starving to be so bold to attack a being that was more machine than flesh. He kicked the first one aside and plunged one of his lightsabers through the second. A third one growled at him and lunged to attack. He crushed it's skull beneath his sharply taloned foot. It made Grievous laugh! These beasts were no match for him! He was so distracted mutilating and destroying the rest of the pack, he failed to see one sneak past him and make its way up the stairs.

Zekaloph backed away, holding the knife firmly in his young hand. Most other children his age would be running and screaming, or even crying. He was not most children. He was scared but he saw how his father killed them. Maybe killing this renegade mumuu wouldn't be so hard. The young Kaleesh tried to hide, taking refuge behind the statue of his father. The incense smoke was throwing the beast off as it tried to sniff him out. That didn't stop the creature from tracking him though. The child's heart hammered wildly within his chest as the deadly animal neared his position. He knew he shouldn't be afraid…his father wasn't! Zekaloph came from a race of warriors, not cowards! He stepped out into the open with weapon raised for combat. He felt he regretted that move when it snarled at him and crouched, ready to pounce. It was far smaller than any of the others his father had to fight. This one was practically a pup. To Zekaloph, it was big enough. The fear he felt was strong enough to motivate him to dive to the side when it finally did leap at him. He trusted his instincts…unknowingly tapping into the force.

He may be a child, but he wasn't stupid. He was a fast learner and he carefully observed how the jedi trained and how his father dispatched the other predators. He knew where their weak spots were, behind the head, beneath the throat, and the middle of their chests. The only thing he would have to do is avoid this mumuu's razor sharp claws and teeth.

His father told him during the history lesson that most Kaleesh younglings killed their first mumuu when they were between ten and twelve standard years old. They were a war-like people and in this environment filled with multitudes of predators, you had to kill or be killed. Zekaloph was quickly learning that.

The mumuu advanced on him again, drooling hungrily. If it thought it was going to eat him, it was seriously mistaken! It lunged at him, snapping its jaws. He slid beneath it and tried to stab it but missed. It was a good plan…at least when it was in his head. It circled around him, beginning to realize that he wasn't as easy prey as it thought. Zekaloph gripped the knife tightly and prepared to roll aside when it made a move to lunge again, but it tricked him. The child dove to the right and that's when it leaped on him snarling. Razor sharp claws dug into his chest forcing him to scream loudly as he tried to keep the beast from biting his neck. An overwhelmingly strong survival instinct and the innate desire to live flooded his very being. He raised the knife and began to blindly stab at it repeatedly, ignoring the blood that began to gush, whether it was from him or the animal, the child didn't care so long as the damn thing finally died!

Soon it was over and he was pulling himself out from beneath the carcass. The animal was whimpering, on the brink of death. He stabbed it behind the skull, into its brain and killed it, just as his father had done. He crawled away from it and lay on the floor, bleeding. He sobbed piteously as he struggled to overcome his near death experience.

Grievous had heard his child's screams and finished killing the last of the pack. How in the kriff, did he miss one?! He ran as fast as he could into the temple and had to do a double take. There was a mumuu pup… but a mumuu nonetheless, dead…killed by a kriffin six year old! His son was in a sorry state. He was wheezing, struggling for breath and blood soaked his clothes. It appeared that the beast's sharp claws dug into his chest and it bit his arm. He needed treatment immediately.

He scooped the child off of the floor and ran, motivated by a different kind of fear. He didn't stop to explain to anyone as he ran through the village and towards the shuttle. He ordered the pilot to take off and practically ripped apart the bulkheads trying to find the damn emergency medical kit. He ripped the boy's tunic off and pressed bacta patches to the wounds and applied pressure to stop the bleeding until they could make it to the medical facilities on his ship. The child lost consciousness and Grievous swore, furious with himself. He would be damned if his child died due to his careless negligence!

"Be strong Zekaloph."

If he survived this ordeal…he was a true warrior indeed. And Grievous couldn't be more proud.

TO BE CONTINUED

Author's note: Yeah, it's pretty unrealistic to have a six year old fight and kill a puppy mumuu but this is fanfiction. And Kaleesh are proud warriors and learn to fight from young ages. So there…that's my excuse.


	3. Healing Hurts

Author's note: Thanks for reading, reviewing, and adding to favorites!

Chapter 3

Beep…beep…beep…

The sound was fuzzy and warbled and it confused him greatly. The obnoxious sound steadily grew louder and became more pronounced as he slowly returned to consciousness. He cracked both eyelids open, his slitted pupils contracting when bright light assaulted his blurred vision. He groaned and closed them again, not sure if he was ready to return to the land of the living just yet, especially when fresh waves of pain wracked his small body. He whimpered and sought desperately to escape it, wishing for that dark oblivion to overtake him again. Zekaloph wasn't sure where he was or how he got there. The last thing he remembered…he was nearly killed. His father had carried him as tenderly and as carefully as his cyborg body would allow. Then everything had gone black. Knowing he was hopelessly awake now, the child blinked his eyes open again.

"He is awake, Sir," the voice of a medical droid droned emotionlessly to a big blur standing next to his bedside.

His vision soon cleared and he could see that he was in a healing room. His arm and his chest were wrapped in bandages and that incessant beeping was in fact a heart monitor of some kind. He saw the towering figure of his father standing over him. Grievous coughed once as if clearing his throat.

"The medi droid says you are going to make a full recovery!"

"It hurts," the boy whispered softly.

"True warriors feel no pain!"

Grievous ordered the medical droid to reduce administering pain medications.

_He's just a child Sheelal…where is your heart?_

He only imagined the voice of Zekaloph's mother and shook his head. This boy had to learn to be tough, for the denizens of the galaxy as well as Count Dooku would show him no mercy.

"You have to be strong Zekaloph"

The child had tears forming in his eyes and his chest began to heave, sure signs he was about to cry.

"No whining or crying will be tolerated! If you disobey me…you will suffer."

"But it _hurts_!" the little one growled angrily not understanding why it had to be this way.

"Consider this a part of your training. The jedi train their younglings from the age of three. You are six years old now. You are more than ready to begin yours."

The child remained quiet, knowing that what his father said was true. That didn't mean he had to like it. He crossed his arms gingerly across his injured chest and pouted, shooting his father a glare that spoke clearly of his distaste for the whole situation.

"It's not fair!" the child huffed defiantly.

"There are many things in life that aren't fair. That is why you must learn to overcome them!" Grievous raised a hand and clenched it into a fist to emphasize his point.

More pain tore through him and he whimpered again. Tears began to fall unheeded and he looked up at his father with a pleading look that would break most hearts.

"I told you no tears! As punishment, you will not be given your first meal."

He reached a hand out in a desperate attempt to hold his father's hand. The cyborg took a step back and shook his head.

"You must learn that I will not always be here to protect you. And that mercy is for the weak!"

The young Kaleesh was beginning to see a side to his father he had never seen before…and it scared him. This wasn't the same father that had cared for him down on Kalee. This was different. And he hated it.

"Father…please," he whispered coarsely.

Grievous's eyes softened minutely and he took a hand and gently ran it through Zekaloph's ebony hair. His hair had become slightly tangled and some of his braids had come undone during the fight with the mumuu. Once his injuries were healed enough, his son would need to bathe and prepare himself to meet the Count. The child, despite the pain, reached up stretching his sore chest and grasped Grievous's large metallic hand. He hugged it gently, uncaring if he made the pain worse in his chest or not. He just needed to know that his father still loved him.

"I love you father."

Grievous was silent for a long, agonizing moment and the child began to doubt that he would ever speak those words in kind. He then replied as softly as his vocabulator would let him.

"I love you too, son."

He pulled his hand away from the Kaleesh youngling and called one of his officers to the med ward. He gave instructions to the Neimodian crew member who was one of the few that were stationed on his ship. The Neimodian nodded in understanding and approached the young Kaleesh with a datapad. Grievous gestured at the uniformed officer and introduced him.

"This is Captain Farrenzi. He will be your instructor for the day. Do as he asks. If I hear that you gave him any trouble, you will be punished!"

"I will listen."

"Good. I will be back for you later."

Grievous strode out of the medical ward and returned to his duties aboard his flagship. His son was going to be taught the basic things children his age learned before moving on to combat training. It wouldn't be much longer before they had to go and meet Count Dooku.

Captain Farrenzi began instructing the child basic reading, mathematics, and writing skills. Zekaloph caught on quickly and teaching him was surprisingly easy. The boy thirsted for knowledge and he was eager to study. By the end of the day, this child had surpassed all of the peers in his own age group. He was eagerly advancing to the next level.

Focusing on learning got young Zekoloph's mind off of his body's pain. Soon the pain faded into a dull ache. He loved to learn and once he made a mistake on something, he figured out how to correct the problem and never failed on that particular topic again. Hours flew by and he was so immersed in his studies that he completely forgot that his father was supposed to be picking him up right about now. He was just completing his final assignment when the loud, familiar clanking steps of his father's large duranium feet alerted him to his presence. His father looked at him for a moment and then at the Captain.

"Your son has excelled in every subject and has surpassed all within his age group."

This did not come as a surprise to the General. Most members in his family were highly intelligent and adapted quickly.

"Tomorrow I want you to continue his instruction."

"As you wish, my lord," the Neimodian bowed respectfully and left the two Kaleesh to converse in private.

"You have done well, Zekaloph. Now it is time for you to rest."

The youngling nodded tiredly and closed his eyes. His exhausted mind and broken body soon succumbed to sleep. Grievous stood and watched him for a moment and when he was sure the boy was sleeping he left the room. There was a special errand he had to run and he had to go back down to the surface of Kalee to do it.

* * *

_The man with a silver beard and silver hair approached him with sharp eyed scrutiny._

"_He can wield the force that much is certain. There is something more I was hoping to find in this one."_

"_What would you like me to do with him, my lord?"_

"_He cannot be allowed to become a jedi. The risk is too high. You must execute him…immediately."_

"_Will you not train him as your new apprentice?"_

"_I already have an apprentice. I cannot take another unless my current apprentice is slain. I do not foresee that as a possibility anytime soon, she is highly skilled. This boy has nothing promising to offer me. His talents, his skills are mediocre. Now I will not command you a second time. Kill him!" _

_Zekoloph watched with wide eyes as his father argued with Count Dooku, trying his best to save him from what was to come. Count Dooku raised his hands and sent force lightning coursing through Grievous's cyborg body, eliciting an agonized scream._

_The boy was rageful and glared hatefully at the old man._

"_LEAVE HIM ALONE!"_

_Count Dooku ceased his attack and chuckled humorlessly. _

"_Not to worry, young one. You are next."_

_He ignited a crimson lightsaber and slowly approached him. Zekaloph had a bad feeling and he knew, what was about to happen. He backed away, raising a hand above his head as if to shield himself and awaited that horrible fate. An invisible force, shoved him across the room and when he tried to get back up, he saw the old man sailing through the air to land right next to him. He shoved his crimson blade through his chest and Zekaloph screamed. He heard his father's anguished and rage filled shouts from across the room and a white light filled his vision and then everything went black._

"_**FATHER**_!" Zekaloph screamed in fright as he bolted upright in bed. That simple action caused him great pain. He was panting and sweat soaked his clothes. The very real, vivid nightmare replayed over and over in his mind. The medical droid immediately came to his side.

"Is everything all right, sir?"

The very strong, compelling need to tell his father over-rode the pain.

"Where is my father?"

"He left the ship to return to the planet's surface but he should be back within the hour."

Zekaloph nodded and then leaned back against the pillows and tried to relax. That was hard to do when he felt so impatient. To his great relief his father returned sooner than expected, carrying a small crate. Tekar was also with him. The nightmare was still fresh in his mind, so he shoved the covers back and struggled to get off of the medical berth, ignoring the droid that told him to stay in bed.

"Father, I have to tell you something!"

Grievous handed the crate to Tekar and immediately went to his side. He stopped his son's determined struggle to get down and helped him back into bed.

"What is so important that you risk hurting yourself?"

The child shivered and drew blankets up to his chest. He stared his father right in the eyes and explained.

"_H_e killed me!"

"Who killed you?"

The General thought that maybe his son was talking about the mumuu. That was not the case he soon learned.

"It was a man with silver hair, on his face and head…he had a red glow sword and he stabbed me with it! He told you to kill me but you said you wouldn't so he sent lightning bolts at you and then killed me after he hurt you!"

This took Grievous by complete surprise. How could the child have dreamt about Count Dooku when he'd never even met him? Did the force have something to do with that?

"Everything is fine, Zekaloph. No one is going to hurt you."

Grievous was very cautious with this information. What if his son's dream was a premonition of what _could_ happen? Such a thing was not unheard of.

The child was sobbing now, terrified. Grievous did something then he hadn't done in years. It took him by surprise. He sat on the bed next to his son and allowed the boy to hug him. He gently stroked his head and spoke soft words of comfort. Maybe he wasn't heartless after all. That didn't mean everyone else in the galaxy had to know that. He ordered Tekar not to breathe a word of that display of affection to anyone, promising him death if he broke his vow and sent the droids that were present in the room to go and get their memories wiped.

The boy sniffled and looked up at him worriedly.

"I don't want that scary man to hurt you!"

Grievous chuckled.

"It's not easy for _anyone _to hurt me, least of all him!"

The Kaleesh cyborg then helped the boy down from the bed and told the child to follow him. He took him around the corner down the corridor and into a dark room on the right. Once they entered, automatic lights triggered on and Grievous showed the child his vast collection of lightsaber trophies.

"Count Dooku has one, perhaps two lightsabers at most. I can wield four at any given time! I've been trained and know nearly every jedi lightsaber form and technique on record."

Grievous couldn't help but brag a little, especially when it was the truth. Father and son crossed the hall into a training room and Grievous ordered his son to stay put on the sidelines. He then split his arms into four and activated four lightsabers. He twirled them in a dazzling display and then began to fight four magna guards simultaneously. In minutes, he had defeated them all and laughed triumphantly.

"See, boy? No one is going to hurt me."

His arms merged into two and he clipped the lightsabers to his hip.

"And I will never let anyone kill you while you are still young and defenseless. Someday soon you will grow to be a warrior and won't ever have to face this fear again."

The two returned to the medical wing where Tekar waited patiently for them. Grievous gestured for Tekar to explain. The Kaleesh tribesman pulled a small mumuu skull out of the crate and handed it to Zekaloph.

"This is the mumuu that you killed. It is tradition for our people to make war masks and cloaks out of the beasts we have slain. I will teach you how to do that very thing."

Grievous left Tekar and his son to get to work crafting those items and returned to the bridge.

Five hours later, Zekaloph with Tekar's help put his finishing touches on his mask. There were some tools he was too young to use, so he had to tell the tribesman what he wanted. He held the finished products proudly and held them up for Tekar to inspect. He nodded with a smile.

"I think you are ready to show your father."

The child nodded with a bright smile and pulled his mask on. He fastened the beige cloak made from the mumuu pelt around his throat and Tekar handed him the mumuu bone knife he had used to kill the animal, now cleaned and disinfected to the boy. The six year old took it and held it in admiration.

"Well Zekaloph, you have earned the respect of our people. You are probably one of the youngest Kaleesh we have ever seen who has not only survived an encounter with a mumuu but slain one as well. You should be proud."

Zekaloph smiled beneath the mask and slowly walked with Tekar out of the med ward. Passing droids paid them no heed although a couple of the B-1 battle droids would stare silently at the warrior child curiously before continuing on their way. They reached the bridge where Grievous was just finishing speaking with one of the maintenance droids. The droid left to carry out his orders and the General turned to see Tekar and his son waiting silently for his approval. He gestured for Zekaloph to approach him and once the boy did he took great care in circling around him, inspecting him from head to toe. Grievous was satisfied with the outcome of his son's project and congratulated him.

"You have earned great respect, child. You are now a warrior! Once the medical droid releases you from custody, your combat training will begin."

Grievous dismissed Tekar after thanking him for his help and knelt down and placed two hands on Zekaloph's shoulders and stared into his golden eyes.

"You should know, boy…that your father is proud of you."

The child smiled.

"Thank you."

The Separatist General began to escort his son back to the medical wing. After a few minutes, he noticed that Zekaloph was holding a hand to his chest and was having a difficult time walking. He picked him up and carried him the rest of the way. It seemed as soon as the child's head hit the pillow, he was out like a light. Grievous carefully removed the mumuu mask from the boy's head and gently took the knife out of his small hand and placed them on a nearby counter top for him to retrieve the following day. He left instructions for the medi droid to make sure his son was fed upon awakening.

He returned to the bridge. They were running out of time. Soon they could delay no longer. He had to prepare his son for the meeting with Count Dooku. His son's nightmare was not forgotten and in some ironic way, Grievous's own fears had manifested in the boy's dreams. He stood in silent contemplation for the longest time, ignoring the bustle of the droids around him. His golden eyes narrowed and then hardened in firm resolve.

If Dooku ordered him to kill his son…Grievous already knew what his answer would be. If he had to kill the old man to keep his son safe, then by the gods he would! He knew that defeating Dooku would be difficult if he was ever forced into that conflict. The sith master was powerful and his lightsaber skills rivaled his own. It was Dooku that taught him everything he knew about lightsaber combat. His only hope was that someday he, not the old man, would pass on his knowledge to his youngest child.

In three days time, they would know the boy's future… and ultimately, his fate.

TO BE CONTINUED!

Author's Note: Please leave a review!


	4. Only a Dream

Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews and for following the story. Also, Grievous is probably out of character for this chapter. It's pretty fluffy. This is probably the only time that Grievous will be portrayed like this.

Chapter 4

Three days passed rather quickly and the Malevolence traveled through hyperspace heading for a very fateful destination. Thanks to bacta treatments, Zekaloph was almost fully healed. He was pretty sore but the pain was finally gone! He continued to study under Captain Farrenzi's tutelage. His father was busy doing whatever it was that he did, so he didn't see him that often. The child was happy when Grievous visited him later that evening. He was just climbing into bed when he came to wish him a good night. The General stood in the doorway, blocking out the light from the hallway.

"Make sure you rest well. Tomorrow we meet the Count."

The child pulled the covers up to his stomach but didn't lie down. He wanted to ask his father for something he'd never had before...

"Father?"

"Yes?"

"Could you tell me a story, about when you first became a warrior?"

Grievous was caught off guard. _His son wanted a bedtime story_? His first impulse was to tell the child "no" and to go to sleep. He stood there silently and studied Zekaloph. His son stared back at him with a hopeful look, small hands clutching his blankets tightly in anticipation of his answer. There was just something about this boy that appealed to his better nature and the father in him was happy to oblige his request.

"I will tell you only _**one**_ story and then you must go to sleep!"

Zekaloph smiled brightly at him and nodded enthusiastically.

"I promise!"

The young Kaleesh patted a small hand on the bed as an invitation for him to come and sit beside him. Grievous walked over and joined his son on the bed, sitting at the child's feet. He stared off into space, deep in thought. He looked back at the child and sighed, the sigh coming out more like a growl.

"After the accident…I lost part of my memory. I'm not sure I can remember that far back…"

"Just try! I bet you remember more than you think."

The General drummed his metal fingers against his thigh plating as he tried to recollect, if only for his son's benefit. He had fragments of memory and it was really hard trying to put the pieces together. He remembered one event, some of it vague and the rest perfectly clear as if it happened yesterday. He chuckled and turned to look at his son who was waiting eagerly for him to begin the tale.

"Many years ago, a young Kaleesh boy who was a few years older than you, wanted desperately to prove himself a warrior. So late one night while everyone was sleeping, he snuck off into the jungle armed with only a Shoni spear."

The child remembered seeing a spear in his father's house. Was that the same one?

"He borrowed the weapon from his father…_without_ his permission…"

Grievous glared at the child in warning and pointed a clawed digit at him.

"A horrible punishment will await you if you do that! That's what the boy in the story learned sometime later."

Zekaloph nodded in obedience and then lied down, still absorbed in his father's story. A small yawn escaped him.

"…he ran deeper and deeper into the forest, splashing through a stream and stopped when he heard it."

The child's eyes widened.

"What did he hear?"

Grievous leaned in closer to the boy's face and chuckled darkly.

"He heard _nothing._"

Zekaloph shuddered visibly when he recognized where this story was going. He lived it once already.

"The Kaleesh boy knew that danger was closing in. Twigs snapped and he lowered his spear, preparing for the fight of his life."

"What was it?" the child gasped.

"It was a karabbac that leaped out of the bushes right at him! He jumped out of the way, just barely and the creature managed to cut his leg with one of the sharp horns on its head. The wounded boy had a hard time fighting it. He used the spear to shove it off of him and knocked it back a few feet. He almost didn't get back up in time."

Grievous paused for dramatic effect.

"What happened next?!" Zekaloph bounced on the bed excitedly.

"He rolled aside, and held his spear up, knowing that he had only one chance to kill the beast. If he missed…he was dead!"

Another yawn, this one bigger than the last, escaped the child and he blinked sleepily struggling to stay awake. Grievous noticed and inwardly smiled. He continued his riveting tale.

"…so he took aim and just as the karabbac leaped at him, the spear flew out of his hand…"

"Did he kill it?"

"…the spear hit its mark. The beast died instantly as the weapon pierced its heart. He knew he had to bring proof back to his village that he had survived and killed his first real predator single handedly! Otherwise, no one would believe him."

"I'd believe you…" Zekaloph mumbled softly, his eyelids growing heavy.

"Yes, but to have physical proof earns you greater respect. So, the boy used his spear to cut vines down from a nearby tree and dragged his prize back to his village. It was a long and dangerous journey and the howls of a pack of mumuu grew ever nearer. He returned home just as the sun was rising and his father came out of the house and saw his son holding his spear proudly with a dead karabbac at his feet. The boy earned great respect that day and it was then, that he became a warrior."

Grievous looked down at his son, who was fast asleep. He carefully pulled the covers up to his chin, careful not to disturb his rest. When was the last time he tucked in one of his children? It had been too long. Speaking of which, Count Dooku refused to reveal the location of his family. He didn't like that one bit. The old man was up to something. The General would deal with that when the time came. Right now he had to rest himself.

Grievous returned to his command chair on the bridge and closed his eyes, drifting between waking and sleeping.

* * *

_Count Dooku circled around him like a Firaxen shark. The boy could feel the darkness emanating from him. He didn't trust the old man one bit._

"_So…you can see the future, can you boy? Perhaps you aren't as worthless as I thought."_

_He stopped circling him and stood in front of him, towering over the child. Zekaloph looked up at him distrustfully and felt very cautious._

"_Prove to me that you can see the future, child. And I will spare your life."_

_Dooku, fast as lightning back handed the boy and knocked him down. He tsked the youngling and ignited his lightsaber._

"_You should have foreseen that. What a pity."_

_He swung his crimson blade, bringing it down on him._

Zekaloph woke up screaming. His sweat soaked pajamas stuck to his skin and he was panting, trying to calm his racing heart. He slid out of bed and small feet pitter pattered across the pristine floor as he made his way out of the room and into the hallway. He shivered, suddenly cold but ignored the sensation. There was only one person he wanted to see. He stopped a passing B-1 battle droid.

"Where is my father?"

The entire crew was made aware of his presence on board the ship. General Grievous commanded the droids to treat his son with complete respect and to consider him as a junior officer unless they wanted to face his wrath.

"The General is on the bridge."

"Please take me to him!"

"Roger, roger."

The B-1 battle droid gestured for the boy to follow him. They walked down a few different corridors and then entered an elevator that took them up to the bridge. He walked out with the droid and sighed with relief to see his father sitting serenely in his chair. He walked up to him and grabbed his clawed hand gently.

"Father?"

Grievous looked down at him with confusion.

"Why are you awake? You should be sleeping!"

"I had a dream about that scary man! He killed me again!"

He had another nightmare about Count Dooku? Grievous was very interested in hearing about the dream. He used a clawed hand to carefully guide his son over so that he was standing in front of him.

"Tell me in great detail…what happened?"

The child recounted as vividly as he could what had been said and what had happened in the very realistic dream. When he finished he waited silently to see what his father had to say. Grievous seemed to be digesting what he had revealed. He lifted his son up and sat him on his knee.

"When we meet the Count tomorrow…say nothing of these dreams. Let _me_ do the talking."

The child nodded his head in understanding.

"Okay, father."

Grievous moved to set his son back down on the floor but the child clung stubbornly to him.

"Please, let me stay with you!"

"You need to sleep, Zekaloph."

He looked up at him with pleading, golden eyes and shivered but not from the cold.

"I'm scared."

Grievous scoffed.

"True warriors aren't afraid of _anything_!"

"Just for a few minutes!" the child begged him.

Grievous noticed that most of his droid crew had stopped their routine activities to observe the escalating argument. He snarled at them angrily.

"GET BACK TO WORK!"

They obediently did as ordered, none of them paying father and son a second glance.

Zekaloph tried desperately to win his father over. He didn't want to go back to the eerie dark of his room all alone! He was mostly scared of having another nightmare.

"Father…I don't want that scary man to come back and kill me when I sleep again!"

Grievous growled in frustration.

"There is nothing to be scared of! It was just a dream."

The child looked down at the floor with tears forming in his eyes.

"It's a bad feeling I have…like…it's going to happen."

"He won't kill you."

The child looked up at him with a hopeful expression when he heard the strong conviction in Grievous's voice.

"Are you sure?"

Grievous laughed.

"I won't let him!"

"You promise?"

The cyborg Kaleesh nodded solemnly.

"Yes. I promise."

Before the father could protest, the boy gave him a hug. The General glanced around quickly and saw that the droids were all too preoccupied in their work to notice. Good. The child sat in his lap comfortably and leaned against him and yawned tiredly. When Zekaloph Quilamec Sheelal was this tired, he was cuddly. Sitting with his father made him feel safe.

Grievous was bewildered and didn't quite know what to do with the child. The General wasn't soft. He was the supreme Commander of the droid armies and a General no less! He was a fearless Kaleesh-turned-cyborg warlord who slaughtered jedi both for fun and out of necessity, a cunning and ruthless strategist that inspired fear within all who opposed him! And he had come undone by this child. If word of this got out, his reputation was a steaming pile of poodoo.

He moved slightly about to force his son to return to his room, the command stuck in his throat when he awoke the half-asleep youngling. He mentally cursed and remained still, allowing his son to cuddle with him _just this once_. It didn't take long for the boy to succumb to his exhaustion. Grievous carefully picked the child up and carried him back to his room. After putting him back in bed, he turned to leave and stopped mid-step when an innocent, sleep filled voice spoke softly in the dark of the room.

"Father, will you stay with me?"

This child was beginning to frustrate and annoy him. It was taking every ounce of patience not to snap on the boy.

"I allowed you to sit with me on the bridge far longer than you should have."

He walked back over and stood beside his son and looked down at him.

"You are a warrior now. You must learn to face your fears. Next time Dooku tries to kill you, fight back!"

"But he has a red glow sword!"

"_Lightsaber_" Grievous corrected him.

"He's bigger than me!"

"That mumuu was a little bigger than you and you killed it! What did you _feel_ when it attacked you?"

Zekaloph shuddered at the memory.

"I was scared."

"Yes, and what did you feel the moment you struck back at it?"

The child thought about it for a moment.

"I really wanted to live. I didn't want it to kill me!"

"And do you feel the same when Dooku tries to kill you?"

The boy felt ashamed and shook his head.

"No…I'm always just scared. I'm too scared to fight."

"You can overcome your fear. The day you understand what it means to truly be a warrior, you'll never fear again."

"I don't want to meet Dooku!"

The child buried himself under the blankets.

Grievous growled in exasperation. Then he got an idea.

"Wait here, I'll be right back."

He left the room and went down the hall and entered his trophy room. He found what he was looking for and grabbed the hilt of the weapon and returned to his son's bedside. He pressed the button on the hilt and a yellow blade emerged. He touched the blade against his wrist and it bounced harmlessly off of his duranium armor, leaving no damage. He wasn't sure why he kept this useless one around. A jedi master had it in his possession the day he killed him. It was fortunate that he had it now.

"This is a training lightsaber. It can't seriously injure you but it can hurt if you turn it to the highest setting," Grievous pointed out a small control dial on the hilt. He turned it and the hum of the blade grew louder, indicating it was on a higher setting. He turned it off and handed it to his son.

"This is yours now. I will teach you how to use it later. For right now, use it to fight Dooku in your dreams."

The boy hugged the training weapon to his chest and smiled. This had to be the best gift his father had ever given him.

"Thank you, father… Good night."

He got comfortable and closed his eyes.

"Good night son."

Zekaloph fell asleep almost instantly, the training saber laying on the nightstand next to the bed. Grievous left the room, feeling confident his son would have no trouble sleeping that night.

Tomorrow morning when they met the Count, father and son would have to face their fears together.

Grievous hoped, that it was only just a dream...

TO BE CONTINUED!

Author's note: Okay, so it might take a little longer to post the next chapter since I'm still trying to figure out which direction I'm taking this story when they finally meet Dooku. Please leave me a review! Thanks!


	5. Meeting with Dooku

Author's Note: Thanks so much for reading, reviewing, and adding to alerts and favorites!

Chapter 5

"Wake up boy!" the gruff voice of General Grievous barked loudly, awakening the six year old.

Zekaloph sat up and rubbed fists against his sleep filled eyes.

"Bathe yourself and get ready to meet Dooku. Your clothes are over there," the cyborg gestured towards the dresser, where a pair of undergarments, black boots, pants, and tunic awaited him on top of the imitation wood.

"Do I have to?" the child whined groggily.

"YES, **now get ready**!" Grievous snarled roughly, scaring the boy. He began to walk out of the room and turned and growled out one last thing as an afterthought.

"And _**no whining**_!"

With that said he exited the room with the flourish of his cape and left the boy to prepare himself for the day.

The young Kaleesh clambered out of bed and obediently did as his father ordered. What had his father in such a grouchy mood? The child didn't know it, but the General was feeling a little stressed about the imminent encounter with the Sith lord. The youngling cleaned himself as best as he could and got dressed, running into some minor difficulties as he did so. He put his shirt on backwards the first time and nearly put his boots on the wrong feet. He fixed the problems with a frustrated sigh. He _really_ didn't want to meet Dooku.

Soon, he was ready and sat on the bed awaiting his father's return. Ten minutes later, Grievous re-entered the room coughing. Once he had composed himself he inspected his son and shook his head in disapproval.

"Did you comb your hair?"

The child looked sheepish and shook his head.

"I forgot."

"Then do so now!"

The boy hastened to do his father's bidding and once he was finished he looked up at Grievous warily.

The father wished that Tekar was there with them now. The child needed his hair braided and he wasn't sure if his large duranium fingers were capable of the task. He could always call the Captain but he didn't think the Neimodian knew much about hair braiding. So, Grievous took it upon himself to at least _try_. His son needed to look presentable if not his best. He was mildly surprised when he was able to perform the simple deed. It took a few attempts but he managed. Soon, the child looked ready but something wasn't quite right…

"Something is missing."

He walked over to the dresser and began to search every drawer. He soon found what he was looking for.

"Stand up!"

The child leaped to his feet without question and eyed his father curiously.

Grievous approached and knelt down on one knee and fastened a belt around his son's waist.

"There. Now you are ready."

The child shook his head.

"I forgot one thing."

He went over to the dresser and retrieved the training lightsaber and clipped it to his belt. Grievous was torn. He wasn't sure if it was wise for his son to carry that with him to the meeting. If the old man believed his son was already training in lightsaber combat while he was force sensitive…it might do more harm than good if Dooku believed his son was a possible future threat. Then again, Kaleesh were warriors and even children were given weapons and learned how to use them at young ages. He came to a compromise.

"I believe it wise if we leave this here," Grievous took the training saber from his son and handed him the mumuu knife instead. A protest died on the child's lips when he saw the severity in his father's eyes and took the knife, attaching it to his belt. He really wanted the lightsaber…

Grievous crouched down and put both hands on his son's shoulders and looked him in the eyes.

"Now listen carefully. When we meet the Count, be sure you make eye contact. Don't mention your dreams and do not speak unless spoken to. Understand?"

Wow, that was a lot for a six year old to remember. The child nodded solemnly.

"Yes, father."

"Now we must go. Come, quickly."

Grievous led the Kaleesh boy out and took him to board a shuttle. The Malevolence exited hyperspace, reaching their destination, the moon of Kohlma, where Count Dooku's lair was located. Only a few knew of its whereabouts. One of those few, besides Grievous himself, was Dooku's Sith master Darth Sidious. As they flew down to the tower like structure, the General watched the child closely. He was staring at the floor, tapping a foot nervously.

"Zekaloph, look at me."

The boy looked up forlornly and met his gaze.

"Remember, true warriors fear _nothing_! You have your weapon with you **and I will not** let the old man kill you."

The child nodded and then resumed his staring contest with the floor. Soon the shuttle touched down on the landing pad and both father and son disembarked and headed into the structure. They passed large stone statues of humanoids holding swords that lined the hallway. Red tapestries hung from the ceiling and draped down the walls. Soon they entered what appeared to be a throne room of some sort. There was a desk at the top of three tiered steps and Count Dooku sat behind it, waiting for them. The child did his best to be brave but couldn't stop the small shiver that raced down his spine when he met the object of his nightmares face to face.

"General Grievous, you're late."

"My apologies for the delay, my lord. I have brought the boy, as you requested."

"So you have."

Dooku gracefully arose out of his chair and slowly traversed down the stairs to meet them. When the child met the man's cold, hard, red colored irises he wanted desperately to lower his gaze and hide behind the imposing figure of his father. He did as his father instructed and maintained eye contact, however uncomfortable it made him feel. Dooku smiled and turned to Grievous.

"So this is the child the jedi wanted. Tell me, has he displayed any force capabilities since arriving in your care?"

"Yes, my lord. When I first found the boy he used the force to destroy _two_ of my magna guards!"

"Impressive for one so young"

He knelt down in front of the Kaleesh youngling, appearing to be friendly.

"What did the jedi teach you, boy?"

Zekaloph had to think and tried to remember.

"That the force lives in all of us and we have to concentrate to use it."

"And can you?"

The boy shook his head.

"No…but bad stuff happens when I'm angry… or sad. The jedi told me that I should be calm to use the force."

"When you destroyed those two droids when your father found you, how did you feel then?"

"I was angry that he killed Telarial and sad because he was going to leave me there."

Dooku stood back up and faced Grievous. The boy began to relax. So far, his nightmares weren't coming true. And then the Count spoke.

"He can wield the force that much is certain. However, there was something more I was hoping to find in this one."

Zekaloph's eyes widened and he took a step back fearfully, recognizing those words.

"What would you like me to do with him, my lord?"

"He cannot be allowed to become a jedi. The risk is too high. You must execute him immediately."

"Will you not train him as your new apprentice?"

No…this couldn't be happening! The child backed away in abject horror as his nightmares slowly began to unfold before him.

"I already have an apprentice. I cannot take another unless my current apprentice is slain. I do not foresee that as a possibility anytime soon, she is highly skilled. This boy has nothing promising to offer me. His talents, his skills are mediocre. Now I will not command you a second time. Kill him!"

"STOP!" The child screamed loudly. He glared hatefully at Dooku, knowing what would happen if the man continued to converse with his father. Grievous glared at the impudent child for disobeying him and for speaking out of turn. He was more than capable of handling the situation! The stubborn boy appeared to have ignored him and continued speaking vehemently.

"You've said all of this before! I know what you will say and what you will do. _And I won't let you_!"

The child pulled out his mumuu knife and stood defiantly a couple of yards away, the crude weapon pointed at the old man.

Dooku unexpectedly did not look surprised. He chuckled humorlessly and approached the child.

"So, you have the gift of foresight. Prove to me that you can see the future young one and I will spare your life."

A child-like growl escaped the boy when he remembered what was to happen next. He ducked as Dooku moved to back-hand him and he rolled clear of the man and raised his weapon, ready to fight for his life if need be.

The Sith lord clapped his hands slowly, looking amused. It was almost as if…he had known all along.

"Very good…you will live to fight another day child."

He turned and looked at Grievous seriously.

"I give you my consent to terminate Ventress. If you succeed in doing that, I will train the boy as my new apprentice. I know why the jedi wanted him. He has a very rare gift that hasn't been seen since the time of the Old Republic. With training and with time, his ability will grow."

"What is this gift, this ability you speak of?" Grievous demanded to know.

"This child may possess the skill to use what was once known as _battle meditation_. He can see the future and will be able to know exactly when and where an enemy will strike. He could be the advantage we need to win the coming war. If the jedi council learns of this, they will undoubtedly come for him."

"They will **never** take him," Grievous growled menacingly.

"They better not or the consequences will be on your head General."

"I will destroy Ventress, my lord. And my son will be yours to train."

"Take the boy with you until you've completed your mission. In the meantime, begin to give your son lightsaber training. Once Ventress is dead, I will instruct the boy myself."

"And what of my family?" Grievous questioned hopefully.

"They will remain safe. You have a war to win and your son is distraction enough. You will see your family again once we have claimed total victory. _Do not fail me_."

"As you wish, my lord," Grievous bowed and then gestured for his son to follow him. The boy was eager to leave and didn't bother giving Dooku a backwards glance. If he had, he would have seen the triumphant smile on his face and the wicked gleam in his eyes.

* * *

The shuttle landed in the Malevolence's main hangar bay. The boarding ramp lowered and Grievous strode out, his cape trailing behind him. His son ran silently beside him. He could feel his father's anger and he knew he was in trouble for something, he just didn't know what for.

"Father?"

"WHAT?!" Grievous spat angrily.

"Why are you mad at me?"

The General stopped walking and turned on his son.

"You disobeyed me! Because of that, you will now be Dooku's _**slave**_!"

"He was going to hurt you!"

"I had **everything** under control! I didn't _want_ or _need_ your help!" Grievous raged.

Tears formed in the child's eyes but he didn't let them fall.

"He could have killed you!" The boy shouted, uncaring if he and his father had drawn an unwanted mechanized audience. The battle droids watched the conflict from a safe distance.

"I can take care of myself, _I've survived worse_!" the cyborg snarled.

The Kaleesh boy remained deathly silent and glared at him. He felt mixed emotions. He wasn't sure whether to scream or to cry, so the child opted for both.

"FINE! Next time, I'll just let you die!"

The tears flowed as he sobbed openly.

"I hate you!"

The Kaleesh boy turned and ran as far and as fast as his legs would carry him, not giving his father, a chance to reply. Grievous was stunned as if he'd just been slapped in the face. He was furious at his son's impudence and had half a mind to run after him and punish him. The other half kept him rooted to the spot.

_I hate you!_

His son's words echoed in his mind. His intention was never to make the boy hate him. The child just needed discipline. Someday his son would thank him for that. Right now, both father and son needed time to cool off and collect their wits. Grievous went to the training room and began to viscously destroy the sparring droids, unleashing his full blown fury on them. His would-be opponents never stood a chance.

Young Zekaloph ran to his room and retrieved his training saber. He clipped it to his belt and walked as far away from his father's abode as he could and went exploring. He stumbled upon an amazing sight during his adventure…the end of a tunnel led into a huge area that had a network of transit trains. He boarded the nearest one and the train sped through the belly of the ship. He was too angry to care if he got lost. The droids that saw him wandering paid him no mind and went about their business.

He picked a random platform to exit off of the train and saw a large painted sign that labeled this section of the ship-Section C300.

The child shrugged and headed through the blast doors and down the hallway. The hallway branched off into a nexus of corridors leading to various rooms, many of which were primarily for storage. He entered a mini warehouse of some sort that had boxes and crates stacked on shelves that went up to the ceiling. The boy investigated one of the boxes on the nearest shelf and found miscellaneous droid parts piled inside. He went deeper into the murky dark, the thought of turning on a light panel escaping his mind. His curiosity was too dominant to worry about trivial, semi-helpful things such as that. Besides, Kaleesh could see in the dark. That didn't seem to matter, because he still managed to trip over something. He regained his footing and he peered closer at the object that had deterred him. It was an off-lined commando droid. It was slumped over, its legs sticking partway in the aisle. This was the first commando droid the child had ever seen. He wondered why this one was in storage. Were there others like this one that were online and functioning?

He moved on, checking crates and found a few more commando droids. They all appeared to be non-functioning. The child was soon going to learn that appearances could be deceiving…

In trying to make his way out of the warehouse, his tunic got caught on the corner of one of the crates. The lid managed to fall on the cranial unit of the commando droid he managed to trip over on his way in. Zekaloph slowly backed away when its optical sensors lit up and it slowly whirred to life. He had a bad feeling about this…

The commando droid leaped to its feet once it had booted completely online and assessed its surroundings. Once its optical sensors landed on the lightsaber hilt attached to the Kaleesh youngling, it unsheathed its vibrosword from its back. Zekaloph screamed and took off running. He tried to remember which corridor would lead him back out to the train station but knew he was hopelessly lost when he realized he just ran in a complete circle. The crazed commando droid wasn't far behind and the child knew he was going to die. The boy kept running and screamed for help. Maybe one of the battle droids would hear him and come to investigate! The commando droid caught up and circled the child with its wickedly sharp sword.

"SOMEONE HELP ME!"

In answer to his desparate screams, a couple B-1 battle droids approached from the south corridor with weapons ready.

"Hey you, halt!" The B-1 battle droid ordered the robotic menace.

The commando droid turned on the newcomers and engaged in combat with them. Zekaloph used the distraction to his advantage and ran the same way the B-1's had come from. He knew that true warriors never ran from a fight but he knew he wouldn't last three seconds against that thing. The child heard the sound of approaching metallic feet and sighed with relief, believing that they belonged to a B-1 droid. A cry got stuck in his throat when he saw that the commando droid had been the victor in that fight. Fear gripped his heart and he slowly backed away. In his panicked desperation he screamed again, tapping into the force and unknowingly called for the one person he knew would save him.

"_FATHER HELP ME!"_

* * *

General Grievous felt much calmer now that he had sated his rage. He was just about to place two of his lightsaber trophies back in their respective places in his trophy room when he actually _heard_ a mental scream.

_FATHER HELP ME!_

Grievous swore and took the lightsabers with him. He barked orders to the nearest battle droids and told them to fan out and find his son.

What kind of trouble did Zekaloph get himself into this time?

"Sir, units T099 and T909 were in the south sector of section C300 and failed to report in."

"Send in the nearest squadron to investigate, immediately!"

Grievous ran in that direction and hopped on a transit train that took him to the C300 platform.

"Sir, one of our squads has engaged a rogue commando droid. Only two of our troops are left."

The cyborg General wasted no time and quickened his pace. When he arrived on the scene, the commando droid was just about to deliver a killing blow on his child.

Grievous roared furiously and attacked the malfunctioning unit and a few seconds later, succeeded in destroying it. If the commando droid had been operating at full capacity, the cyborg Kaleesh knew it would have been a little more difficult to destroy. The lithe, stealthily, assassin-like models were designed for covert operations and had performed well in all the test runs and simulations. It wouldn't be long now until they employed their services against the Republic's clone troopers.

Zekaloph was afraid his father was mad at him and tried to sneak away.

"Zekaloph! What have you been doing?"

The child knew he was trapped and looked guiltily at his father.

"I was only looking around! It was an accident!"

Grievous growled in frustration. What was he going to do with this boy?

"You will stay in your room until further notice!"

The child's shoulders sagged and he nodded in acceptance of his punishment. The General approached him and knelt down. He gently used a clawed finger to tilt the boy's head up so he could look him in the eye.

"Make sure accidents like that don't happen again!" the genuine concern crept into his voice.

"Yes, father."

The child was very thankful that his father came to his rescue. He unexpectedly lunged forward and attached himself to Grievous's shin plating, in an attempt to hug him. Grievous stood up and tried to shake the boy off but he clung stubbornly to his leg and that action made Zekaloph laugh. The General half sighed and half growled and lowered his leg back down in defeat. He softened however at his son's next words.

"I'm sorry. I don't hate you father…I love you."

The cyborg Kaleesh picked his son up and allowed him to hug him for real and carried him out to the awaiting train that would take them back to their quarters.

"It's time I began to teach you how to fight. Your training begins in the morning."

At long last, Zekaloph was going to learn how to become a true warrior!

TO BE CONTINUED!

Author's Note: Please leave me a review and thank you for adding to favorites!


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